Existence
by Usami
Summary: /PMD: Explorers of Sky/ "The important thing is not how long you live...It's what you accomplish with your life."


**SPOILER WARNING:** This is heavily based on the 5th Special Episode, "In the Future of Darkness."

Honestly, I had the idea for this story before I actually played the 5th episode (although I already knew what happens in the end, anyway). But while I was playing it, it really enforced the ideas that I already came up with and made it a little easier to write. What really got me to start this story, though, was something Dusknoir said when I talked to him once in town. It really made me think, and thus this story was born.

This was just something I really wanted to try. Because, despite everything that happened in the game, I kind of liked Dusknoir, and I felt a little bad for him. This was just an attempt to sympathize with him a little bit. I hope I did all right.

Oh, and by the way...I am aware how the 5th Special Episode turns out. But I felt the story was more effective by ending it where I had it end. But I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. Let me know. Enjoy!

**Existence**

Like Primal Dialga, everything Dusknoir had done was for the sake of self-preservation.

Survival was a powerful instinct born in every creature, and living in a world of perpetual darkness only enhanced the need to outlive the others around them. It was the driving force behind their uncertainty to trust others, behind their readiness to attack those that may take advantage of them…their need to protect the only life they had.

It certainly wasn't an easy life, but it was all they knew. They were raised in the darkness, in the stillness, on a planet frozen by nothingness. They knew nothing of the world before – of the sun, or the wind, or the fresh beginning of a new day – except for the old legends that were passed down from long ago. The Pokémon who lived in those days were long gone, but their tales continued to burn in the hearts of the hopeful. It concerned him none, though; as long as he remained alive, what did it matter if others continued to delude themselves with stories of things they've never seen?

So when Primal Dialga recruited him to stop those that would change the past, of course he agreed to help. Dusknoir knew he had to assist Dialga if he was to survive. Not only because changing the past would erase the Pokémon of the future, but also because Primal Dialga would eliminate him if he refused. As he'd done all his life, Dusknoir did what he had to in order to persevere.

Hearing that Grovyle and a human were planning to go to the past and prevent the planet's paralysis, Primal Dialga gave him the task of stopping them. While they looked for clues about the Time Gears, Dusknoir began to research the world of so long ago, to know what he might have to deal with in that time before the tower collapsed. With Primal Dialga's help, he was able to gather necessary information of that world, and would be able to move through it easily. When they learned the Grovyle and the human traveled to the past, he quickly followed after them.

Perhaps that was his first mistake.

The sun…the warmth…the _light_…was more amazing than the old stories could ever do justice to. Being able to see the planet move…to feel it move, and to move with it…was simply incredible. As he experienced that first wonderful moment of stepping out of the darkness – the darkness where he spent his entire life – a strange feeling began to emerge within him, so foreign that he couldn't name it.

The feeling only grew as he encountered the Pokémon of that world. The _Pokémon_…At first it was difficult getting used to not attacking the first thing that moved. But the Pokémon here were so different from those in his world. They were much friendlier, more willing to help others…more trusting.

Even as he used that fact to his advantage, he marveled at the kindness he received upon meeting each new face. His knowledge of the past world left them impressed with him, and they began to admire and respect him. The unknown feeling inside him grew, and he even made an idle comment once about settling down there to one of the Pokémon in town. They believed that he meant settling down in their town, but of course they could never guess that he truly wished to live there…in that world of light. He began to feel very comfortable there – It felt _right_, he would realize later – that for a time he almost forgot why he was there in the first place.

Until after he encountered and rescued the one team from the Wigglytuff Guild, and learned of the Pokémon who was once human. Discovering it was the same human he'd been assigned to eliminate, and that Grovyle had already begun collecting the Time Gears, he remembered the threat they poised to his existence. Living there in that world – in the light – would do no good if they succeeded in their mission and forced him to disappear. So, it was back to stopping them, and making sure that the world was thrown into darkness as it was supposed to.

No matter how he enjoyed that brief time in the light…his existence was always the most important thing.

There was some…difficulty with his assignment, especially when Grovyle reunited with his human and her new partner, but they were only delaying the inevitable. Even after Grovyle forced them both to return to the future, he knew there was still a way to maintain the planet's paralysis – maintain his life. His plan to use Grovyle's body to go back to the past and trick the human was especially brilliant. But in order to lure Grovyle to the place they could strip him of his spirit, Dusknoir knew he would first have to gain Grovyle's trust. To do that, he would have to pretend to cooperate with Grovyle, and travel and fight alongside him.

That was his next mistake.

The chunk of ice was certainly not part of the plan, and even Dusknoir was surprised when he saved Grovyle from it. But he reasoned that it was only to further gain Grovyle's trust, and he came up with something else to explain to Grovyle. But as they were resting, he finally managed to ask the one question that he just didn't understand.

_To make myself disappear…I will not allow it. With all that said…Why do you fight so hard for such a goal?_

To work so hard to accomplish something that would ultimately end your life…It just went against all instincts, went against the need of survival that existed in every Pokémon. How then could anyone willingly give up their life like that?

Grovyle's answer was not what he expected.

_Even if I were to disappear…I wouldn't truly disappear._

Dusknoir had never thought of something like that before. And it was intriguing, as he listened to Grovyle's explanation, to think that he could still live even after he'd gone. Could his spirit really continue to live on in others, simply because of his actions…because of everything he had ever done?

_The important thing is not how long you live…It's what you accomplish with your life._

Even when he had Grovyle right where he wanted him, ready for the plans he so carefully set…all he could think of were Grovyle's words at that time. Words that forced him to think…and remember.

_And so, if I were to disappear…I think all that I have accomplished will go on. That is…That would mean…that it's living, right?_

And Dusknoir wondered…would his spirit really continue to live? The things he'd done…everything he'd done in the past…to ensure a future of darkness…Is that really how he wanted to be remembered? Is that really how he wanted others to think of him after he was gone? After everything he had done in this world…in any world…could his spirit truly live on in others?

Grovyle seemed to think so…

_Please remember, Dusknoir! What I sensed in the dungeon that time…Your shining spirit!_

_M-my…spirit? There's nothing that…Nothing shines like that! You're…You're deluding yourself!_

He spoke those words out of doubt, out of fear, because it was too difficult to believe. After everything he'd done, how could his spirit still shine? How could Grovyle be so sure? Unless…

Unless his spirit was already a part of others…

_The meaning of life…Think of what it truly means to live, Dusknoir!_

And all he could think of was the world of the past. He thought of all the Pokémon he encountered, who admired and respected him, and their kind warmth as they welcomed him wherever he went. He thought of the beach, as waves came crashing down onto the shore that sent a fine mist all around. He thought of the wind, a gentle breeze that teased him with its faint presence. And he thought of the sun…the bright light of the sun that always came to chase the shadows away, no matter how dark and how long the night had been.

Hadn't…hadn't he enjoyed all that? For just the briefest moment….hadn't he expressed a desire to live there? And, even if it was only temporary…he wanted to experience that feeling again. The feeling of the sun…the warmth…the light.

He wanted to live…in light.

Saving Grovyle from the trap he set wasn't easy, taking a heavy toll on his body. And as he expected, Primal Dialga was unhappy for his disobedience. If the planet had not started to move – confirming that history had already begun to change course – Primal Dialga would have quickly and easily finished him off. But the planet's reawakening had frightened the legendary Pokémon.

Dusknoir knew the stories – how the collapse of Temporal Tower caused Dialga to lose control. But when time once again began to flow…He had never seen Primal Dialga so disoriented before. His master lost whatever reasoning he had left, and acted without thinking. Dusknoir knew they had to stop Dialga before the Pokémon of Time did something drastic…and he finally realized it was time to put an end to all this.

It was time for the sun to end this night.

Now…after finally defeating Primal Dialga, the morning was coming at last. And as the three of them – he, Grovyle and Celebi – lay there and waited for their end, Dusknoir had to know.

"Grovyle…"

Slowly, the wood gecko looked towards him.

"Grovyle…" Dusknoir said, and he struggled to keep his voice strong, "Please tell me…My…my life…Did it shine…?"

"Yes," Grovyle replied; softly, weakly, but sincerely and with no hesitation. "Extraordinarily."

Dusknoir nodded, smiling despite his weakened body having no energy left to do so. "…I am glad…I-I am…" It was getting difficult to breathe. "I am, up to the very end…not wavering…"

He kept his eyes locked with Grovyle's; knowing he only had a few more moments to say what he needed to. "Honestly…" he said, his voice beginning to waver, "I lived…" Not just existed, but truly _lived_, "Because of _you_, Grovyle…Thanks to you…" He finally broke his gaze, closing his eyes as they began to burn. "Thanks to you…I…I have no regrets…"

He always assumed his death, just like his life, would be covered in darkness. But now, all he could see was light.


End file.
